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  “Sneaky man, my father.”

  “Good man, your father. I hope I can be half the man he is.”

  “You’re all the man I’ll ever need,” she whispered.

  Epilogue

  Six Months Later…

  Jackson rubbed his thigh, not just to wipe off the perspiration beading on his hand, but to check to make sure the ring hadn’t magically disappeared. He also worried that somehow the press could have gotten wind of the fact he’d had a diamond ring designed for Amanda, so he had to do this right away.

  They’d said they would take things slow—mating, imprinting, soul-mates—set aside. They knew they would end up together, barring any crazy witch spells, they had the rest of their lives to be together, so why not take a year to really know and understand each other.

  Only she might as well live with him since she hadn’t spent the night at her apartment in over a month. Not even one night. He went to her family dinners and her mom had given him his own assigned seat, which he thought was weird, but he rolled with it. She went his family bowling night, and despite two broken nails, she was getting good at the game.

  Well, good was a relative term.

  He yanked at his tie. He hated the damn things, but this particular red-carpet event, he figured a good old-fashioned designer suite would be more fitting. Not so much because they were celebrating and viewing the completed film, Remington Falls, but because he hoped to walking the red-carpet with his fiancé on his arm, not his girlfriend.

  “Hey Jackson,” Amanda called from the master bedroom. “Have you seen my dangling diamond earrings?”

  “The ones I like to take off with my teeth?”

  “Yeah, those ones.”

  “I think they are in my nightstand.”

  Every time they got ready to go out where they needed to look their best, or she wore any borrowed jewelry, or a designer dress made specifically for her body, they he’d get dressed first, letting her have the room. He liked to be surprised by her gorgeousness.

  Tonight, he wanted to a few moments to go over his proposal.

  Only he hadn’t yet made one up.

  When he’d been with her parents, doing the honorable thing, asking for their blessing, he’d asked Albert for some advice. All he had said was to be sure not to drop the ring in the toilet, then for the next hour, he listened to how Albert had done that very thing when he’d proposed to his bride.

  High heels clicked in the hallway.

  “So, what do you think? I was worried it would be too tight.” She paused just as she entered the kitchen, doing a full circle. The white and black strapless dress hugged her body like a wetsuit, showing off every curve. It fell just short of her knees.

  “I think we’re staying home,” he mused. She could make a potato sack look good.

  “Awe, are you worried people are going to stare at me instead of you?”

  “I don’t know, I’m wearing a traditional black suit.” He tugged at his coat. “I’m sure every other male will be trying to make a statement with meggins or high waters.”

  “Yeah, promise me you will never wear either of those.” She brushed down the front of her dress. “You do look quite dapper.”

  “No one will notice me. They will all be gawking at my girl.” And hopefully the ring he would be slipping on her finger in the next couple of minutes. He waggled his finger. “Come here.”

  “Na-uh. You come here.”

  He growled but didn’t waste any time moving to her side. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and pressed his lips on the sweet spot right behind her earlobe. “Have I told you that I love you lately?”

  “I don’t mind hearing it again.”

  He shoved his hand in his pocket, fingering the two-carrot diamond set in silver band. It might be a big diamond, but it was simple.

  Elegant.

  Just like her.

  “Would you want to hear for the rest of your life?’

  “You really have to ask?” She cupped his face, kissing his lips with a tender touch.

  The last six months had been beyond his wildest dreams. The movie had wrapped early, and he couldn’t have been prouder of his performance.

  Or his.

  Everything in his life had fallen into place and he felt like there was only one thing missing.

  Well, she wasn’t missing, but he wanted things to be permanent.

  “I really have to ask.” He bent down, pulling out the ring, holding her hand.

  “Oh…my…God,” she whispered, covering her mouth. Her beautiful lashes fluttered over her ocean-like eyes.

  “I love you and I want marry you.”

  “That’s not a question.” She wiggled her finger.

  “Do I really have to ask?”

  She shook her head. “I want to marry you too.”

  He slipped the ring on her finger, kissed her hand, and then stood.

  “That’s really huge,” she said, holding her arm out, admiring the rock glistening in the light.

  “Exactly what a man wants to hear.”

  She slapped his shoulder playful, a single tear escaping the corner of her right eye.

  He wiped it away. “Don’t want to ruin your make-up”

  “I’m think we should be late and ruin my hair in the process.” She draped her arms over his shoulder.

  “Not that I don’t want to do that, and I will when we get home tonight, but I’ve kind of been looking forward to having my fiancé on my arm all day. Besides our parents will be there.”

  “Oh boy, now I understand my father’s remark about staying out of the bathroom when you’re in it.”

  He shook his head. “Your parents have the weirdest sense of humor.”

  “Yeah, they do, but I’m sure he really appreciated you talking to him first. Does your mother know?”

  He nodded. “She picked up the ring for me today.”

  “It’s beautiful. I love it. But mostly I love you.”

  He kissed her cheek, holding up his elbow. “Shall we go, fiancé?”

  “I’m going to be an official Princes and you’re going to be a Prince.”

  “Do I have to be,” he mumbled. Not that he wouldn’t take whatever title she wanted him to, the idea of anyone calling him Prince, or bowing to him, made him cringe.

  She smiled, nodding her head. He’d never be able to deny her anything. “The only thing we have to decide now is will we start our children’s names with A or J.”

  “We’ve got time to figure that out.”

  “Not as much time as you think.” She slipped her hand into the crook of his arm, her other one seductively resting on her mid-section.

  “What do we have to do, register the names years in advance. If that’s the case, we go with J’s.”

  She let out a long breath. “I was going to wait to tell you this until after I got the official confirmation from the doctor, but I peed on a stick today and it gave me a plus sign.”

  “What?” He glared at her as he pulled open the front door, their limo waiting in the driveway. “Why would you…” a commercial for a pregnancy test popped into his head. “No way.”

  “There is probably a chance I’m not, but I’m also late.”

  “Well I’ll be damned.” His heart swelled. “So much for taking things slow.” He helped her into the back of the limo, then slid in next to her, holding her as close as he could. “Our mothers are going to flip.”

  “One thing at a time. Let’s flash the diamond and then in a couple of weeks, we can show off a baby bump.”

  “Maybe we should think about getting married right away.”

  “Hell yes. And not because I’m pregnant—”

  He sucked in a breath. “Wow. You just said that out loud.”

  “I know,” she said, smiling. “A baby.”

  His heart pounded, and his chest tightened. He took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

  “Are you okay?” she asked as the limo pulled out of the driveway. “You look
pale.”

  “I just realized I’m going to be a father.”

  She leaned in, whispering in his ear, “you’re going to be a great father.”

  The End

  Books by Jen Talty

  NY State Trooper Series

  IN TWO WEEKS

  DARK WATER

  DEADLY SECRETS

  MURDER IN PARADISE BAY

  TO PROTECT HIS OWN

  DEADLY SEDUCTION

  WHEN A STRANGER CALLS

  Other novels

  REKINDLED

  JANE DOE’S RETURN

  Dare to Love Kindle World by Carli Philips

  DON’T DARE ME

  The Omega Team Kindle World

  THE LIGHTHOUSE

  HER LAST HOME

  THE LAST FLIGHT

  THE RETURN HOM

  The Phoenix Agency Kindle World

  THE LOST SISTER

  THE LOST SOLDIER

  THE LOST SOUL

  THE LOST CONNECTION

  Dallas Fire and Rescue Kindle World

  STEALING HIS FIRE

  IGNITING HIS FLAME

  Special Forces Operation Alpha

  BURNING DESIRE

  BURNING KISS

  BURNING SKIES

  BURNING LIES

  BURNING HEART

  About the Author

  Jen Talty is an award-winning author of Romantic Suspense. Dark Water hit #10 in Barnes and Noble and her books have been in the top 50 on Amazon. Jen grew up in Rochester, New York. She recently retired from being a full-time hockey mom as her children hung up their skates. She and her husband still live in Rochester while her children travel globe. Jen is the co-founder of Cool Gus Publishing with NY Times Bestselling Author Bob Mayer. To learn more about Jen Talty please visit her website: jentalty.com

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